Love is all you need…
Liverpool was a surprisingly great city to visit. It was the first stop on our group tour and we had a great time in the city for the day. Liverpool is a city known for the Beatles, sports, and purple garbage bins (seriously) and it truly makes for a fun time. As a coastal city, Liverpool grew steadily as a port city across the Industrial Revolution. Today, the city has changed its tune and is more recognised for its sports and music influence.
The Beatles statue near the docks is a frequently visited spot and we were lucky enough to have the place to ourselves for a little while. It is situated right near the British Music Experience Museum and is not hard to find. The area has also garnered more attention in recent years due to James Corden’s Carpool Karaoke visit with Paul McCartney. Unfortunately, we had to make do with the statue versions. Also in this area is the Mersey Ferry, a hop-on-hop-off cruise. One of the vessels, now called the ‘Dazzle Ferry‘ was created by Sir Peter Blake in 2018 to commemorate the First World War armistice and is a brightly coloured feature to spot from the docks.
We then walked across to the Royal Albert Docks. This area was previously used for warehousing, where ships could unload directly into the warehouses and is now home to a variety of restaurants and museums such as the Tate Liverpool. It is also home to a fun kooky collection of transport vehicles that have been converted into food stalls.
After the docks we wandered back up the hill through Liverpool one, the main (and massive) shopping complex area before deciding to go to the Liverpool Anglican Cathedral. By happenstance on our way to the Liverpool Cathedral we came across a beautiful wall mural dedicated to the Beatles. The suitcases, known as ‘A Case History‘, were also a fun find as they are all suitcases belonging to famous Liverpool personnel.
We arrived at the cathedral nearing sunset. The church was extremely welcoming and warm and we were free to wander around. We were also lucky as there were an organ player there at the time and we were treated to fantastic acoustics. I highly recommended visiting the cathedral even if only for conversation with the local volunteers who work there.
Making our way back into town we also passed the Bombed Out Church. This church, St Luke’s, was hit during the Blitz of 1941 and is now a garden and space for public events, as well as serving as a memorial to those killed during World War Two. By the evening we were feeling the burn after a full day of activities but that all changed when we went to the Cavern Club.
The Cavern Club is a staple of Liverpool nightlife, well renowned for its hosting of famous musicians such as the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Elton John. It’s a very popular stopping spot on a Friday night and makes for a great night out. The live music is incredible!
The following morning in Liverpool before heading off to our next location we had a Beatles City tour. Via bus we ventured around the city, stopping at key spots such as Penny Lane, Strawberry Fields, and the childhood homes of the Fab Four. It’s interesting to see how the city inspired some of the world’s most well-known songs and demonstrated to us how clearly loved the band still is for their impact on the city and on rock and roll.
Liverpool is a city filled with things to do. It has an obvious allure for its connection to the Beatles but beyond that has multiple museums and buildings that are worth checking out. Everything was largely in walking distance of each other and I had a great time here. Just a little heads up, don’t try to use a Scouse accent…you won’t get it right.
Little Fish, Bigger Pond 